Series Format Debuts On Friday Night At Daytona International Speedway

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (June 26, 2009) – The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) today announced the addition of “Double-File Restarts – Shootout Style” throughout each race for the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Beginning next weekend at Daytona International Speedway, the first- and second-place cars will line up side-by-side as the green flag is displayed for each restart.

Double-file restarts were introduced at the non-points NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race in May and the change was fully instituted for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series earlier this month at Pocono Raceway. Under the previous format, cars on the lead lap would restart in a single-file line while lapped cars would start in a line next to them.

Continue reading “Nationwide Series Gets Double File Restarts”

Ask Kurt Busch which year he prefers — 2008 or 2009 — and he’ll pounce on the latter.

The defending winner of Sunday’s LENOX Industrial Tools 301, Busch is faring better in present times. Although he reveled in last June’s victory, it was one of the few bright spots in a season that saw him miss the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, plus finish an uncharacteristic 18th in the final standings.

A quick recap: Thanks to good fuel mileage and a timely final pit stop, Busch had surged to the lead when NASCAR officials called the race at Lap 284 of the scheduled 300 because of an approaching thunderstorm.

The celebration came in an empty garage building amid a lightning-spiked downpour, but Busch said his team earned every moment.

“When everybody pitted with, I don’t know, 30 laps to go — when I was told, ‘You’re in the lead, there’s 26 laps to go’ — that’s the most motivation a driver could ever ask for,” Busch said, “because you want to hold it off and bring it home for your team.

Continue reading “Kurt Busch Defending New Hampshire Winner”

For the first time since 1999, “The King” returned to Victory Lane as a car owner last Sunday at Infineon Raceway, and NASCAR legend Richard Petty’s timing couldn’t have been more appropriate.

Driver Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge) claimed the first victory for the new Richard Petty Motorsports — the organization that melded teams from Petty Enterprises and Gillett-Evernham Motorsports during the winter — and Petty’s towering, trademark hat, sunglasses and mega-watt smile were a welcome addition to the celebration.

The victory, the first at a road course for Kahne, also struck the perfect-timing note.

Continue reading “Kahne's win, celebrates Petty's 200th Anniversary”

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The battle for Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup eligibility is heating up, which means two things:

One — the thermometer says it’s summer;

Two — it’s time to head to New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

This Sunday’s LENOX Industrial Tools 301 kicks off the “Race to the Chase,” the 10-race stretch that leads to the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

The Race to the Chase begins amid Granite State greenery and ends on a September Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway — Race No. 26 and the cutoff point for Chase eligibility.

Continue reading “Race to the Chase starts at New Hampshire”

The Final Lap CHAT Show #69 – Beer and Wine – Tue, 23 Jun 2009
We discuss the weekend at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, plus the NNS and Trucks in Milwaukee. GM cuts funding of certain Cup Series teams, a big shake up in the points after road course racing and more. Hosted by Kerry Murphey and Paul Northrop

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